Governor declares heroin 'epidemic' a public health emergency

Gov. Deval Patrick on Thursday declared a public health emergency in response to what his office called a “a growing epidemic” of heroin addiction, and pledged $20 million to beef up drug treatment programs.

BOSTON – Gov. Deval Patrick on Thursday declared a public health emergency in response to what his office called a “a growing epidemic” of heroin addiction, and pledged $20 million to expand drug treatment programs.

The governor’s call to action echoes efforts of police, prosecutors and elected officials on the South Shore who for years have been drawing attention to a growing opiate problem that they say has reached epidemic proportions, driving up crime and sending addicts into jail cells, emergency rooms and morgues.

The governor’s declaration of a public health emergency gives the Department of Public Health emergency powers to take actions that advocates on the South Shore, as well as the editorial boards of The Patriot Ledger and The Enterprise of Brockton, have long been urging, including:

- Permitting all first responders to carry and administer the overdose-reversing drug naloxone, also known by the brand name Narcan;

- Prohibiting the sale of a new highly potent prescription painkiller called Zohydro and similar drugs until they include safety measures to prevent abuse;

- Mandating that doctors and pharmacists use the state’s Prescription Monitoring Program; and

- Expanding a state task force on drug abuse and prevention and direct it to make recommendations for further action within 60 days, including how to better coordinate services and how to divert non-violate drug offenders into treatment programs instead of jails.

The administration will also dedicate an additional $20 million to treatment and recovery services for the general public, the Department of Corrections and the county sheriffs departments.

“We have an epidemic of opiate abuse in Massachusetts, so we will treat it like the public health crisis it is,” Patrick said. “I have directed DPH to take certain immediate actions, and to give me further actionable recommendations within 60 days, to address this challenge and better protect the health of people suffering from addiction and the families and loved ones who suffer with them.”

Patrick on Wednesday met with families, former addicts, treatment providers and others to discuss ways the state can step in to stem the rising number of opiate overdoses in Massachusetts.

On March 1, an editorial in both The Patriot Ledger and The Enterprise called on the governor to convene a task force to combat the drug problem. The editorial elicited more than 40 letters from families rocked by addiction. Those letters were forwarded to the governor’s office.

Christian Schiavone may be reached at cschiavone@ledger.com or follow him on Twitter @CSchiavo_Ledger.